1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to laying flexible pipe from a reel and retrieving same to the reel.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
In the drilling of oil wells, it is necessary that the well be supplied with water and, also, be supplied with a fuel. At the present time, the most economical and, therefore, desirable fuel is natural gas. The terminal offering a source of supply of water and natural gas is often as much as three kilometers away. Experience has shown that water or gas supplied under pressure in a pipe about 5 cm in diameter is sufficient to supply a drilling rig while in operation.
At the time this invention was made, the customary commercial practice of supplying the drilling rig with water and gas was to connect segments of pipe approximately 10 meters long by hand coupling. It will be understood that this required a great number of joints, each of which were hand coupled. At the time of this invention there was flexible pipe made of plastic (the common commercial name for synthetic resin pipe) was available. Also, there was complete technology available and machines available for coupling two segments of the plastic pipe by fusion welding.